Tips for keeping walls, woodwork clean

It’s easy to pass walls and woodwork every day without a second glance, but spring-cleaning season is a great time to give them the attention they deserve.

Regular cleaning can help avoid bigger cleanup work later.

“It doesn’t have to be as difficult of a job as it sounds,” said Amy Panos, senior editor at Better Homes and Gardens. “The easier you can make it on yourself, the more likely you are to do it.”

Dirt and scuffs

Walls tend to get dirtiest around light switches and door knobs.

They also get marked up from accidental kicks or the brush of a bag near baseboards. Toddlers’ hands often find their way to walls with filthy fingers, crayons, and markers.

“The sooner you get to a mark that is noticeable, the easier it will be” to clean, said Sharon Grech, a color and design expert for Benjamin Moore.

People are wary of cleaning or washing painted surfaces because they fear it will remove the paint. But the technology has improved over the last decade, and paints now are more stain-resistant and durable for cleaning.

Still, it’s important to use the right products.

To remove everyday marks, Grech suggested using a clean cellul…………… continues on Kansas City Star

VICTORIA – There’s more to cleaning a home than scrubbing floors and dusting shelves — organization is a key step too.

Kyla Rozman, owner of Vancouver-based In Order To Succeed Professional Organizing Inc., says people waste a lot of time hunting for items at home and work because their things don’t have a permanent spot.

The organizing expert says one of the most important steps to keeping a home neat and organized is assigning a place for items, especially if the space is being shared with other people.

Containers are an essential tool for creating a spot for stuff.

The container, box or basket creates clear defined borders, which keeps items from being pushed into the back of a cupboard or drawer, or becoming confused with other things that may be cluttering the space.

“A container is really powerful as well because it creates a limit,” she says. “The homeowner commits that once the container is full you can’t add another container beside it, and you have to get rid of something to add something.”

Choosing the right container is also an essential step in organizing a space, and Rozman says for visual people, it is important to select a clear box or bin.

“It doesn’t matter if you like something that looks pretty. You really need clear,” she says. “Don’t put a lid on it. If you do, it is really ha…………… continues on Huffington Post Canada